My Elin Hilderbrand Summer

I didn't take a vacation this summer. But thanks to Elin Hildebrand, the "Queen of Beach Reads", I felt like I was making the most of the summer.

Elin has written 29 books. They are all set on Nantucket, an island about 60 miles from Boston, where the weather is nice, the ocean is beautiful, good food is plentiful, and the people are wealthy.

This is probably the most striking feature of her books: the wealth of the people. It’s not an arrogant kind of wealth that seeks attention; it’s a wealth that has been acquired and long established. These are people who were born rich, who grew up rich, who are surrounded by rich people, and whose wealth is not under threat. It’s affluence in its purest form. And you have to admit, it’s the stuff of dreams.

I could start justifying myself by arguing that there is, after all, some social commentary in there—that people coming from outside see this opulence and are outraged by it, that the issue of race is addressed (it’s as white as snow in Nantucket, but not in Elin’s books), and so on. But let’s be honest, I haven’t read ten beach reads set in a place like that to learn more about class inequality in the United States. I read them to escape, because they’re among the books that have allowed me to do that best in my life.

The genres of these stories are quite varied: the first two are mysteries, the third is a romance, the fourth is a family drama, and so on. But they all share certain elements that contribute to the enduring charm of Elin's novels:

• A paradise-like setting, featuring a sparkling sea, vibrant flowers, spacious, inviting homes, and beautiful, well-dressed people.
• Descriptions of food that always made my mouth water: fresh seafood, chilled cocktails made with ingredients like champagne and fresh strawberries; local vegetables and fruits bursting with flavor; bread fresh from the oven; five-course meals prepared by talented chefs.
• People on vacation.
• People falling in love.
• Soft beds, cashmere sweaters, diamond rings, long, silky hair, and other signs of wealth.

Not only that, but it’s written flawlessly. I have absolutely no criticism to offer on that front. It’s engaging without being obvious; the chapters are a reasonable length (they don’t necessarily end on a cliffhanger, let’s say). It’s easy to read without being silly; the words are well-chosen, the dialogue is realistic, and the pacing is good. It’s truly excellent.

Here are my brief thoughts on each of the ten books I read this summer, in roughly chronological order (I’m a bit fuzzy on the details toward the middle).

Swansong

It’s definitely one of my favorites. It’s the book that made me want to read another Elin Hildebrand right away!

I'd say it could be classified as a mystery novel. The Nantucket police chief solves one last mystery before retiring.

What I loved:

• The Amalfi lemons that a woman who’s far too rich has flown in from Italy to decorate her counter. They cost 300 euros for six lemons.
• The cocktail her employee makes with those lemons: a French 75. I dreamed about it every day until I finally ordered one at a restaurant. It was really good (though it would surely have been better with Amalfi lemon juice).
• The incredible amount of delicious food and cold alcohol flowing at the outrageously extravagant parties thrown by the filthy-rich couple.
• The Black man whose skin color is revealed naturally as the story unfolds, rather than right from his first appearance, as is often the case. He’s a normal character, and that’s refreshing.
• That feeling of being scorched by the sun and blinded by the glare off the waves, but not caring because there’s a breeze, you’ve just gone for a swim, and you’ve got a glass of delicious, ice-cold drink right within reach.

The Perfect Couple

Swansong was just some kind of detective story, but this one’s the real deal. Someone actually dies and everything.

What I loved:

• The characters. They seemed so real. They had their flaws, but they all possessed a certain beauty despite everything. When the mystery was solved and the events were recapped, it was so clear and vivid that I felt like I was right there.

The Rumor

Two friends in their forties have secrets to hide. But it’s very hard to escape the rumor mill in Nantucket.

What I loved:

• The absolutely stunning garden that Grace (one of the two friends) is pouring all her energy into creating. Her sweet—albeit unconventional—relationship with the gardener.
• The reaction of the cuckolded husband, which struck me as remarkably mature.

The Identicals

If you like twisted plots, you're in for a treat. Identical twins are separated as children (one goes to live with her mother, the other with her father). They are forced to reunite nearly fifteen years later, after a tragic event had driven them apart.

What I loved:

• One of the sisters (no, I don't remember her name). I wish I could have been her friend.
• Her experience as a manager of a clothing store, which I found very endearing.

The Matchmaker

That’s such a sweet story. Ever since she was a little girl, this woman has had a knack for spotting soulmates. They’re surrounded by a pink cloud (and it’s true). She’s brought dozens of couples together, and all of them are going strong.

But does she have a soulmate?

What I loved:

• The main character, who is just adorable. She’s kind to everyone, genuine, cheerful, and still has a good head on her shoulders… You really want her to be happy.

Special mention to the Nantucket Daffodil Festival which the main character attends every year. It’s a riot of color and cheer.

Here’s to Us

A renowned chef, who owns the most expensive restaurant in the United States, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his wife, two ex-wives, and several children. His wish was to bring all of them together at his cottage in Nantucket to mark his passing. Except that, unsurprisingly, all these women hate each other.

What I loved:

• The head chef, whom we never meet in person, but whom we come to love through the memories of all those who loved him.
• The food: one of the chef’s daughters is a cook too, and she whipped up incredible feasts. Everyone seemed to take it for granted, and it drove me crazy.
• The dynamic between the three ex-wives.
• The characters were so vivid and lifelike that I found myself taking sides. It was surprising how much I could share one character’s hatred for another.

Beautiful Day

Beautiful Day is the most quintessentially American book of the bunch. The story is about a girl who is getting married and follows to the letter all the instructions of her late mother, who had a very specific idea of everything that was supposed to happen during the wedding, from start to finish. She already knew which napkins she wanted on the table, who to invite, who should sit next to whom, what the color scheme of the reception would be, and so on.

The grieving daughter is planning a wedding that will last an entire weekend and cost her father more than $100,000.

What I loved:

• The main character, the bride’s much older sister, who was named maid of honor for a reason she can’t fathom by her late mother and who, like us, is completely overwhelmed by the absurdity of the situation.
• The way the author made us find the wedding really cute, despite everything. You can tell that the bride truly loves her husband, and that the feeling is mutual. The slightly cynical older sister grows closer to her younger sister. The bride breaks up with her “best friend,” who turned out to be a horrible friend she’d known for years.

It’s crazy to spend so much money and make sure every little detail of such a fleeting event is perfect. But at the same time, it’s so human—it’s cute.

Summer of ’69

Summer of ’69 is the one I liked the least, and for an obvious reason: I wasn’t alive—or even close to being alive—in the summer of 1969.

You see, I don’t really remember the story anymore. But I do remember that the title of each chapter is the name of a popular song from that era, that the women drank alcohol in abundance and smoked during their pregnancies, that it was still normal for a man to demand that his wife stay at home once she was married, and that the Moon is being trampled underfoot by human feet for the very first time.

Hotel Nantucket

I loved this one so much, and I still don't understand why.

A billionaire decides to invest $30 million in the renovation and reopening of the Hotel Nantucket, all “to impress two women” (which two women? It’s a mystery). He’s from London and will only set foot in the hotel once. He puts a local island resident in charge of managing it.

What I loved:

• Descriptions of luxurious cocktails and freshly baked pastries.
• The adorable little boy with glasses who spends his summer playing chess in the lobby (and beats everyone)
• The love story (I won’t tell you which one, because it came as a surprise to me. But that’s probably just because I’m naive.)
• The main character's sound judgment.
• The amusing story behind the billionaire’s massive investment.
• A travel guide to Nantucket—a real one—written by the author. Her descriptions of the restaurants are truly delightful.

28 Summers

A morally dubious love story, but one that’s certainly intriguing.

The main character inherited a little cottage by the sea in Nantucket and goes swimming in the ocean as often as I go to the convenience store, and I can't stop dreaming about it.

Summer People

Probably the darkest book of them all. A husband and father dies too young, leaving behind his wife and two children. They spend their summer at their vacation home in Nantucket, just like every summer (ahem), but this time with a guest: the son of a murderer whom the deceased father—a lawyer—had managed to save from the death penalty.

On the “American-ness” scale, I'd say this ranks second among the ones I've read. Here's a little spoiler: the mother was married to another man for two weeks before she met the father, and when the kids find out, they flip out. At least I wasn't the only one who thought they were silly.

Finally, I’d like to share a bit of information with you: $14-million homes in Nantucket are far from rare. In fact, the cheapest one I found was a studio apartment in town (so not on the waterfront) for $1.5 million.

I haven't finished my Elin Hildebrand adventure yet. I'm right in the middle of another one of her books, What happens in Paradise, and it’s not even set in Nantucket! Unbelievable! But I feel like I’m going to move on soon. Summer is over.